Police in Prince George’s County say a man shot his 11-year-old stepdaughter and then turned the gun on himself inside a Landover, Maryland, home Wednesday night, in what county officials describe as a “growing epidemic of domestic violence” in the county.
The girl, Mailyn Turks, and the man, 38-year-old Curtis Brevard Lynch, both died, police said on Thursday.
A woman in the home, who police said they believe is the girl’s mother, was shot and wounded. She is in the hospital in critical but stable condition and is expected to survive, according to police.
“All of us are heartbroken,” Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks said at a Thursday afternoon news conference, expressing “outrage and sadness” at the girl’s death.
“Mailyn did not deserve this,” Prince George’s County Police Chief Malik Aziz said, adding, “our 10-year-old future bright star should be here with us now.”
The county executive said the girl’s killing is part of a pattern of growing domestic violence.
Out of 11 killings in the county so far this year, six have involved domestic- or family-related violence, Alsobrooks said. That’s one more than at this time last year.
“In too many instances, we are seeing the death of our children in ways that really are heartbreaking and have to be stopped,” she said.
Police still piecing together what happened
Police were called to the home in the 6900 block of Stansbury Lane in Landover at about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday for the report of a shooting.
Inside the home, police discovered the girl and the two adults who had been shot. The girl and Lynch both died at the scene, and the woman was rushed to the hospital.
The police chief said detectives are still piecing together exactly what happened inside the home, acknowledging there are some “spotty details.”
“What we know now is young Mailyn is not with us and she was killed by a gun in a house,” Aziz said.
Police are also still investigating the motive for the shooting.
“Just like everyone who hears this, we are wondering why,” Aziz said. “Regardless of what our investigation finds, hurting those who you love is never an answer.”
Aziz told reporters the Prince George’s County Sheriff’s Office had responded to the home a few weeks ago, but he said he did not have any details about the nature of those calls.
He also said Lynch was arrested in D.C. a few weeks ago on a weapons charge, but he did not have further details.
Lynch was arrested on Feb. 13 after he reportedly pulled a gun on a group of people in Southeast D.C., according to court documents. Lynch was initially ordered held without bond but was released from custody on Feb. 16 following a preliminary hearing.
The county executive pointed to what she called “duress and stress and strain” in the community and urged anyone experiencing violence in the home to reach out for help.
Aziz said abuse should be reported to the police department. Resources are available through the Prince George’s County Justice Center and the Community Advocates for Family and Youth.
People struggling with mental health challenge can seek help by calling 988.
“We would like to stop — not mitigate, not slow down or incapacitate — any offenses around domestic violence or family-related violence,” Aziz said.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
